Golf club head covers



May 31, 1966 J. c. KOETTING GOLF CLUB HEAD COVERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 6, 1962 INVENTOR. L011 M May 31, 1966 J. c. KOETTING GOLF CLUB HEAD COVERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1962 BY wz$wa United States Patent 3,253,627 GOLF CLUB HEAD COVERS John C. Koetting, 3703 Colquitt, Houston, Tex. Filed Dec. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 242,820

6 Claims. (Cl. 150-52) This invention relates to golf club head covers adapted to restrain therein the oppositely extending, closely adjacent heads of a pair of clubs having shafts which rest upon the bottom of a retaining golf bag, whereby to draw the shafts into substantially adjacently extending, up standing positions, as the golf bag may be carried from place to place; the individual cove-r portions for each head being constructed to be readily removed to offer easy access to the clubs.

Asa primary object the invention sets out to provide a golf club head cover designed to restrain a pair of oppositely facing golf club heads in manner that the shafts thereof, which rest in the bottom of the golf bag, extend substantially adjacently when the clubs are carried; the invention also being constructed so that the clubs may be easily placed for carriage, and easily accessible for withdrawal for use by providing the individual covers so constructed as to be removable by deft manual operation.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a golf club cover of this class which is adapted to restrain one golf club with head in covered position and uppermost while the other club of the pair is being used.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a golf club head cover of this class which is easily fabricated, which is of light and inexpensive material, and which is easily installed and removed.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a golf club head cover of this class which is adapted to be fabricated of two, three, or several separate pieces of cover material in manner to form an efiicient assembled cover by modern mass production sewing methods.

Other and further objects will be apparent when the specification herein is considered in connection with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view, substantially isometric, showing the covers for two pair of golf clubs as such are positioned in a golf bag partitioned with a compartment for each pair of clubs;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial view, substantially isometric, showing a preferred embodiment of double golf club head covers in duplicate covering four clubs upstanding in a golf bag partitioned with a compartment for each pair of clubs;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation taken along line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 5.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference numerals are applied to like elements in the various views, a golf bag 10 is shown in FIG. 1 having upstanding partition walls 11 therein and a binding rim 12 around the top to further restrain the partition walls 11 in aligned transverse position.

A pair of golf clubs 13 and 14 are placed in each compartment with shafts downwardly. A cover 15 is provided for each pair of clubs to extend over the heads thereof when the heads face oppositely. Such cover 15 thus comprises individual covers 16 and 17 into which the head of the respective clubs 14 and 13 extend. The

individual covers 16 and 17 are of lesser width at the bottom and of greater width at the top and are shown connected by a. vertically extending seam 18, the covers being of such vertically height as to extend downwardly y 3 253,627 Patented May 31 1 966 so that the bottom 19 of the cover 15 is below the hosels of the clubs 13 and 14 when the clubs are in the respective covers 16 and 17.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the clubs 14 and 13 are rsetrained with their shafts in substantially adjacently extending positions near the bottom and to extend angularly outwardly but in'close adjacency at the top. The hosels 22 of the clubs are within the cover 15 and the bottom 19 of the cover extends slightly below such hosels 22. The toe plates 23 of the clubs 13 and 14 thus rest Within respective individual covers 17 and 16 in positions slightly spaced below the tops 21 of such individual covers, while the face plates 20 are outwardly.

FIG. 2, as supported by the disclosure of FIG. 1, the oppositely disposed, outer parts 25 of the individual covers 16 and 17 comprise modified polygonal pieces 25 having widest bases 32 uppermost and narrower bases 24 lowermost and such pieces are divided from bottom to top by zipper means 26 of conventional design in manner that the zipper opens at the bottom and thus opens upwardly from bottom to top.

This can best be observed in FIG. 2 which shows the zipper handle 27 conventionally pivotally connected at 28 to the zipper carriage or connector 29 which moves up and down opposed zipper tracks 30, 30' to disconnect them below the connector 29 as it travels upwardly to permit the golf clubs 13 and 14 to be inserted into the respective individual covers 17 and 16, or to join together the tracks 30, 30 as the zipper of each individual cover completes its closure, the clubs being thereby constrained in covered position.

The opposed side or end portions 25 of each individual cover are connected to the individual covers 16 and 17 by sea-ms which bound the polygonal portions from top to bottom so that an upstanding seam 31 extends upwardly to join a substantially horizontally extending seam 32 which extends along the outer edge of a top portion 21, there being an oppositely disposed seam 31' connecting the other side of the polygonal portion to an individual cover.

It can thus be seen that a pair of clubs 13 and 14 may be installed in each compartment of a golf bag in manner that the individual cover portions 16 and 17 provide protective covers for, and restrain the golf club heads in such positions that the shafts extend adjacently when carried; in such positions that one club stands upright and supports the cover, including the individual head cover of a club in use; and in such position that when both clubs are not in use, the cover restrains the club heads to support both clubs with shafts in close adjacency.

The material for the covers may be provided from a wide range of materials such as cloth, felt, leather, plastics, various tissues, or of various fibrous products.

As the individual club cover tops 21 are substantially fiat outwardly, they are well adapted to have numerals thereon, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, which designate the respective size, shape, and weight of club to be carried in the individual cover bearing a respective numeral.

The means of connecting the oppositely extending individual covers 16 and 17 is not limited to the seam 18 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but any fastening means is included, which may extend vertically, or which may comprise space apart fastenings, or any range of fastening means. Also the means of closing the individual covers is not limited to the zipper means disclosed, but other closure means as snaps or a wide range of fasteners may serve.

Referring now in detail to the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 4-6,- inclusive, a golf bag 10 is shown 3 corresponding to the golf bag shown in FIG. 1, and a pair of golf clubs 13 and 14 are shown for illustration placed in two of the compartments with shafts downwardly. A cover 15 is provided for each pair of clubs to extend over the head thereof as the heads face opposite ly; Such cover 15 thus comprises individual covers 16' and 17' into which the head of the respective clubs 14 and 13 extend. The individual covers 16' and 17' are contracted at a throat 40, centrally thereof, as by an elastic band 41 shown in section in FIG. 5, which is sewed about the inner periphery of the throat as it is extended in fabrication, normally to contract the throat to substantially less than its fabricated diameter, so that the throat is wrinkled, as' shown.

The club covers are fabricated of a stretchable material, as of sheet plastic, and each cover 16, 17' may be laid out of a single piece of material. Then the elastic band 41 is sewn across the piece of material and the opposed sides thereof joined by outer and inner seams 42, 42 as the end of the elastic band are anchored together and/or to the opposed edges of the sheet. Then the top and the upper edges of the side portions of the original sheet are joined by the seam 43.

It should be noticed that the material has been formed with layout shape such that a skirt or flared bottom 44 is provided for each cover 16', 17'. The original peripheral throat dimension before contraction by the elastic is say 9" and uponcontraction this becomes say 'On the other hand the peripheral dimension of the base of the skirt, by comparison, could be approximately 13". A hem 45 may be provided to protect the cut hem line of the skirt 44, and for the sake of appearance. Finally,

the two covers 16, 17 are sewed together by a seam 46 which extends down partially from the inner top corner of each cover.

In the form of invention shown in FIGS. 4-6 the elevational dimension of the covers from throat to crown or top is say 4" while the elevational dimension from throat to base of skirt is approximately 5". On the other hand, because a knitted element is stretchable both transversely and longitudinally, in the form shown in FIG. 7 an elevational dimension of say 4" may serve from throat to top or crown, whereas the skirt 53 from throat to bottom need only be 3" in vertical dimension.

In all of the .forms shown in FIGS. 1-6, inclusive, it is pointed out that the upper or cover parts must be of size to accommodate golf club heads which vary in size, as from the No. 1 club indicated by dotted lines 60 in FIG. 5, down to the No. 4 club shown in the left pocket 16.

The forms of the invention shown in FIGS. 4-6, inclusive, are so designed that each pocket can be removed by a simple manual operation similarly as corn husks are shucked from an ear of corn. On the other hand, the form of invention shown in FIGS. 1-3, inclusive, can be removed with that ease attendant upon opening a zipper upwardly from the bottom of a pocket so that a club may be removed sidewardly therefrom.

The invention is not limited to the exact shapes, pro-' portions, materials, methods of fabrication, and structural arrangements shown, but other variations, modifications, and embodiments are considered as well as such may fall within the broad spirit of the invention, and within the broad scope of interpretation claimed for and merited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A golf club head cover to cover a pair of golf club heads with heads upwardly and with hosels back to back and head bodies extending outwardly in opposite directions, said cover including a pair of pockets sized to cover the largest golf wood club head, each pocket having an extensible throat expansible to admit a club head therethrough and normally contractible to bind against the hosel slightly below the body of the club head, each cover having a' skirt for each pocket extending below its throat to a greater vertical distance than the pocket extends above its throat and a greater peripheral dimension than the peripheral dimension of the pocket around a club head whereby to guideably receive a club head for insertion through the throat into the pocket and to cover the upper part of the club hosel, said skirt, as dimensioned, thus being of size to permit the pocket to be removed from a club head as the throat is released by shucking it over the club head, said pockets being hingedly connected adjacent the top inner parts thereof whereby a pocket may be mainpulated to receive, or to be removed from one club head while the other pocket remains covering an opposed club head, and said pockets extending downwardly and outwardly from said hinge connection.

2. A golf club head cover to cover a pair of golf club heads with heads upwardly and with hosels back to back and head bodies extending outwardly in opposite directions, said cover including a pair of pockets, each pocket having an extensible throat expansible to admit a club head therethrough and normally contractible to bind against thehosel slightly below the body of the club head, each cover having a skirt for each pocketextending below its throat to a greater vertical distance than the pocket extends above its throat and of a greater peripheral dimension than the peripheral dimension of the pocket around a club head whereby to guidably receive a club head for insertion through the throat into the pocket and to .cover'the upper part of the club hosel, said skirt, as dimensioned, thus being of size to permit the pocket to be removed from a club head as the throat is released by shucking it over the club head, said pockets being hingedly connected adjacent the top inner parts thereof whereby a pocket may be manipulated to receive, or to be removed from one club head while the other pocket remains covering an opposed club head, and said pockets extending downwardly and outwardly from said hinge connection.

3. A golf club head cover for employment with a golf bag having a bottom upon which shaft ends of golf clubs rest for support said cover comprising oppositely ex tending back-to-back adjoined golf club head pockets with openends downwardly and conjunctions beginning cen- .trally at the top thereof and comprising a downwardly extending seam terminating above said throat whereby said pockets are hingedly connected, said pockets each being comprised of a plurality of pieces of material mechanically sewed together to comprise integrally assembled pockets of size and shape each to receive a golf club head of predetermined size therein and each pocket including a bottom opening therein which is oversize with relation to said head to sutficient degree to permit the easy insertion and removal of said head while such pocket remains .adjoined to its partner pocket.

4. A golf club head cover as claimed in claim 1 in which each pocket is laid out in a single piece of material.

5. A gold club head cover as claimed in claim 1 in which said cover is made of an extensible plastic.

6. A golf club head cover as claimed in claim 1 in which said throat is made expansible o1 contractible by resilient means connected thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,014,589 9/1935 Saad. r

2,115,307 4/1938 Kneeter -52 2,526,985 10/1950 Whitehead ISO-52 2,532,195 11/1950 Rosenow 15052 2,788,826 4/1957 Noonan 150--52 3,055,409 9/1962 Latind 15052 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. A GOLF CLUB HEAD COVER TO COVER A PAIR OF GOLF CLUB HEADS WITH HEADS UPWARDLY AND WITH HOSELS BACK TO BACK AND HEAD BODIES EXTENDING OUTWARDLY IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, SAID COVER INCLUDING A PAIR OF POCKETS SIZED TO COVER THE LARGEST GOLF WOOD CLUB HEAD, EACH POCKET HAVING AN EXTENSIBLE THROAT EXPANSIBLE TO ADMIT A CLUB HEAD THERETHROUGH AND NORMALLY CONTRACTIBLE TO BIND AGAINST THE HOSEL SLIGHTLY BELOW THE BODY OF THE CLUB HEAD, EACH COVER HAVING A SKIRT FOR EACH POCKET EXTENDING BELOW ITS THROAT TO A GREATER VERTICAL DISTANCE THAN THE POCKET EXTENDS ABOVE ITS THROAT AND A GREATER PERIPHERAL DIMENSION THAN THE PERIPHERAL DIMENSION OF THE POCKET AROUND A CLUB HEAD WHEREBY TO GUIDEABLY RECEIVE A CLUB HEAD FOR INSERTION THROUGH THE THROAT INTO THE POCKET AND TO COVER THE 